The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 41: Feb/March 2019 | Page 37

BUSINESSWISE
Let us help
Let
us word
help
spread the
spread
the word
about
your business
about your business
www.businesswise.org.uk
www.businesswise.org.uk
GET BUSINESSWISE IN 2019
BusinessWise is an independent not-for-profit referral group of
committed business people who meet at Jury’s Inn, Swindon to
support each other and refer qualified business leads.
During 2019 the group is looking to grow and will also be
holding at least two evening networking events, with good
quality guest speakers, open to all. These events, not subject
to the usual single seat policy, are often free of charge or
very low cost.
BusinessWise has been active in Swindon for more than
six years and operates on a non-competing basis where there
is only one person representing one discipline within the
membership such as one accountant or a single web designer.
It also operates on a not-for-profit basis where any surplus is
invested back into the group for marketing purposes.
The group also supports a charitable member and currently
that is the Gateway Furniture Project which provides white
goods and furniture packages at very low cost to families in
need in the town.
Current membership includes Haines Watts Swindon, Bevirs
Law, Midwinter Web Design, Excalibur Communications, Fiona
Scott Media, Eight Interactive, Lis McDermott Photography and
Thornton Associates.
Members meet fortnightly on a Friday morning from 7.30am
to 9am and information is posted regularly on the group’s
Facebook page - www.facebook.com/BusinessWiseSwindon/
The members are looking to work with and support
other business owners or directors and this could include
trades such as an electrician or plumber or a book-keeper,
a mortgage adviser, a VA or PA, an insurance broker, a shop
owner or a hotel or B&B owner.
The cost of joining is £250 in year one, then £150 on renewal
each subsequent year and the monthly cost is £30 which
includes breakfast and room hire costs, marketing activities,
charitable work and social events.
Chartered surveyor Jerry Thornton, of Thornton Associates,
who currently chairs the group, said: “We welcome anyone
who wants to come along to meet current members and find
out more about BusinessWise and how we work hard to build
relationships and support each other. This group is as much
about being a business ‘family’ as it is about passing business
between members.
“We have several open categories and, if your business is
unusual we are open to discussing the possibility of opening up
a new category.
“We are looking to work with people who are committed
and who will attend each meeting or send a sub if they cannot
make it and who are willing to take on one of the various
voluntary roles within the group which allows us to function and
continue to operate on a not-for-profit basis. We probably will
not be right for a new business in its first year of operation.”
For more information visit:
www.businesswise.org or call Jerry Thornton on 07811
942050 or find their page on Facebook here -
www.facebook.com/BusinessWiseSwindon/
Member Benefits:
Member Benefits:
• Not for Profit Organisation
• • Not
Profit Organisation
Fees for
re-invested
into the group
• • Fees
re-invested
into
the group
Exclusive business category
• • Exclusive
business
category
Opportunities
for new
business
• Opportunities
for new business
across all sectors
all sectors
• across
Low annual
membership fee
• Low annual membership fee
MEMBER FOCUS
Each edition we focus on a BusinessWise member and
tell you a little more about who they are and what they do:
Name:
Lis McDermott
Business:
Headshot Diva by Lis
McDermott Photography
Tagline:
I love capturing the real you!
Years in business:
11
A defining trait:
I am told that I put people
at their ease quickly, which
helps them feel more comfortable in front of the camera.
After working in music education for 34 years, latterly,
as the Music Adviser for Wiltshire, Lis set up her
photography business in 2008. She loves working
with people, and spends her time both photographing
business owners, and their teams. She also regularly
photographs a number of networking events.
Lis has also published four books over the last 5 years.
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019
37